What do we need to know about Dorado café?

Dorado café is a specialty coffee shop and café in downtown Budapest, which we opened about six and a half years ago. It started out as a place for mostly coffee, but as the demand raised we also built a kitchen to offer breakfast. We recently gave Dorado a facelift and renovated the interior with a professional help of our good friend Nyoszoli Kinga, in the hope of an easier transition to staying open late. We wanted to share our favorite wines with our guests in the evenings regularly, so we made some changes for this to work, and opened our late-night laid-back wine spot and offshoot of Dorado café—BAR LOLA, together with MÓR24.

How did wine come into the picture?

Good question. We felt that specialty coffee has a close connection to natural wines in terms of quality and variety, and it was an area we also were interested in learning more about. We have a couple of friends who make natural wines, and through them we got involved and delved deeper into this new area of beverages—we actually went out and harvested with them and had the opportunity to take part in the whole process. It made us fall in love with the world of natural wine even more.

How was wine introduced to the menu?

First, we simply added wines to our shelves on view in the café in 2020, and then, as soon as it was possible, we started to organize social events around wine. Twice a month, we held an event called Dorado Nightshift, where we opened a couple of bottles from our shelves  and you had the chance to have by glass a little bit of everything, and our guests who drank specialty coffee at Dorado during the day recognized the taste notes in the wines too during the evenings and became our first regular wine-drinking guests. We felt that this could also appeal to a wider audience, and we weren't mistaken.

At the same time we also felt the need to start a business around natural wines: we founded Disco wines, a natural wine import company. Now we import and distribute natural wines from countries like Spain, France, and Germany.

What does your average day look like?

My average Monday starts with a kick-off meeting for BAR LOLA across town in Buda, where we spend around two hours discussing any lessons learned in the weeks before as well as our plans and upcoming events.

Then we’ll head to Dorado for a meeting with the Dorado team and our manager about how things stand. Then I get started on paperwork: processing invoices, transfers, going through our orders and stock—that sort of thing. This takes up most of the morning before we go out for lunch and have a meal close by. Followed by maybe delivering  some wines if any order comes through the weekend to Disco.

Afterward, I'll go swimming and then taking my time in the sauna or sunbathing. On my way home, I usually go shopping and then maybe dinner. In any free time I have left, I like to do sports, photography, and paying visit to other wine bars.

How do you share and divide your responsibilities with Mario?

We share most of the administrative tasks, and I am more involved in HR and PR. Merch and design is Mario’s task mostly. Social media is a little adhoc but working organically we don't worry too much about it.

Let's see what's inside Emese's YKRA bag!

Camera - I've been using an analog camera for years. My Yashica T5 camera has grown closest to my heart, but unfortunately, on holiday a grain of sand got caught in the lens, and now the shutter won't close properly, so I’ve had to take it in for servicing. Currently, I keep my digital camera in its case, and I’ve been using it to shoot content for Dorado and Lola or other things I want to capture on the go.

Laptop - My laptop is my biggest companion; it comes with me wherever I go. If I don't sit in front of it for five hours a day, then I don’t sit in front of it at all!

Hair Clip - I always have one on me, just in case I have to help out at the counter, where I need to keep my hair tied back—I tie it up like a samurai.

Sunscreen - I always have sunscreen on me as I go swimming often, and it’s a must for my face and body.

Wallet - This is a Dooney & Bourke wallet, and it’s great for keeping my change and cards in one place. It’s a handy little purse that fits in my back pocket.

Sunglasses - I could say I use my sunglasses for when I’m out in the sun, but it's more like my best friend for the days after long nights!

Wine - Wine is an important companion of ours. A good pét-nat is a must in the summer. This is a wonderful natural German sparkling rosé from Glow glow, this one by the way we distribute with Disco wines to other restaurants and bars as well.

Corkscrew - It’s an essential item of mine, you can never know when you get your hands on something yummy.

Bike Light - I often finish work late, and as I ride my bike to work and home, I keep a few rechargeable lights in my bag for safety.

Keys - I have so many keys... it’s a question of losing them all at once or none at all!

BAR LOLA Menu - I’m constantly studying our menu, how we can improve it, and what should be included on any given night.

YKRA MATRA Backpack - On a daily basis, it's great for my laptop and swim gear, my two essentials. But I also use it to pack for long weekends or trips abroad; it’s the right fit and size to carry onboard a flight comfortably, and the material is super durable. Hopefully, it will be my travel companion for years to come.

 photos by Botond Wertán